Chapter 125: MY FOOLISH LITTLE DISCIPL

Li Yan remained unconscious for the next several hours while Fu Hanzheng stayed beside the jade bed, his spiritual sense never leaving his disciple’s body.

The fever rose and fell in uneven intervals, never reaching the point where it threatened his life, yet every time the Devouring Phoenix bloodline greedily drew in more spiritual Qi than his fragile meridians could accommodate, his small body would convulse slightly, his brows knitting together in pain.

Fu Hanzheng’s expression grew more solemn with each fluctuation.

He continuously adjusted the medicinal formula according to those changes, his fingers forming seals to gently guide the rampaging energy, preventing the excess spiritual Qi from accumulating around Li Yan’s spiritual sea. He allowed his disciple’s body to process it gradually, not daring to forcefully suppress the bloodline’s circulation back into its original pattern — for to do so might cause a backlash!

The blackened skin around Li Yan’s wrist also finally stopped spreading after Fu Hanzheng used his profound cultivation base to restrain the domineering devouring energy beneath it.

The discoloration remained — dark, ominous, like ink — but it no longer crept further up his arm. Fu Hanzheng slowly withdrew his spiritual Qi once the immediate danger passed, knowing that constantly interfering with a heaven-defying bloodline would only make it harder to determine how Li Yan’s body intended to adapt.

Li Yan finally stirred when the room became quiet again.

Mm...

His eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand catties, and the first thing he noticed was the uncomfortable, scorching heat surrounding his body, as if he were being roasted in a furnace. He tried to move his arm, but the simple action made his head throb violently buzz! Forcing him to stop before he could even lift himself from the bed.

Fu Hanzheng noticed the slight movement instantly. His eyes lit up, and he leaned closer. "Do not get up yet! Your body has not recovered enough to support you!"

Li Yan slowly, sluggishly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry. He stared at the familiar, immortal-like figure beside the bed. His thoughts moved as slowly as mud, and for several moments he could not remember where he was.

Then —The memories returned in pieces, flooding his mind like a tide. The snow-covered mountain, the Rank Nine demonic lizards, the thick miasma, the brutal battle, his conversation with Hu Bai, and the moment his body had become too exhausted to remain conscious — it all passed through his mind in a flash.

His lips moved. "Ma... Master," he murmured, his voice hoarse and rough from disuse, barely audible.

Fu Hanzheng immediately poured a cup of warm spiritual water and supported his back, allowing him to drink. Li Yan took several small sips, his dry throat finally feeling a little better, before collapsing back against the pillow weakly.

His throat felt better, but the weakness in his limbs remained, as if all his strength had been hollowed out.

"How long... have I been unconscious?" Li Yan asked.

"I cannot say in detail, but it has been several hours since Hanye brought you into my care."

Li Yan frowned slightly. Something about his Master’s expression — that grave, unsightly look — made his heart sink. He suspected his condition had been far more serious than ordinary Qi exhaustion.

"My body... feels strange," he said, his voice trembling.

"It should," Fu Hanzheng answered, his tone heavy. "You pushed yourself far beyond what your current cultivation base could endure."

Li Yan stared at his Master for a moment before his gaze shifted toward his own hands. His right wrist caught his attention almost immediately.

!!

The skin remained blackened, dark as night, spreading like sinister veins.

His brows drew tightly together, his pupils contracting. "What... what happened to my wrist?"

Fu Hanzheng did not answer immediately. He reached over and examined the area again, his touch light, before allowing Li Yan to lower his arm. "Your body reacted violently to the spiritual Qi you absorbed during the battle. The reaction placed considerable strain on your meridians."

"Is that why I passed out?"

"It contributed to it." Fu Hanzheng sighed, his expression becoming unprecedentedly grave, his eyes dark and unfathomable. "But the main issue... Yanyan, your Devouring Phoenix bloodline has awakened."

BOOM!

Those words exploded in Li Yan’s mind like a thunderclap!

His eyes widened to the size of copper bells!

"That discoloration was caused by the rapid, forcible intake of spiritual Qi, which your meridians cannot contain at your current level. You were lucky to escape with only a high fever and fainting. If it had been even a moment later, your meridians could have shattered, and your foundation could have been completely destroyed!"

Li Yan stared at his wrist, his face turning deathly pale, paper-white. His lips trembled.

So... my luck has finally run out?

He had thought after his rebirth, everything would go smoothly. He wouldn’t be surprised if he heard even worse news now.

Fu Hanzheng looked at his disciple’s ashen face, and his heart ached, but he had to continue.

"For the time being... you cannot use your cultivation, nor can you cultivate."

CLANG!

It was as if a giant hammer had smashed into Li Yan’s spiritual sea!

"Ma... Master...?" Hearing those words, Li Yan’s eyes widened in utter shock and disbelief. His pupils trembled violently. His entire body stiffened. He had worked so hard, bled so much to cultivate! He had just barely broken through to the True Warrior Realm! How could he become the strongest in this world if he could not even cultivate?!

"I am very sorry, Yanyan," Fu Hanzheng said softly, his voice full of guilt. "Until this Master can seal your bloodline, you must not circulate Qi. Just like its name, it will devour everything in its path — including you."

Li Yan felt his heartbeat slow down... thump... thump... until he could barely feel it. The blood in his entire body seemed to freeze.

Could he survive in this world without his cultivation?

How long would it take his Master to seal it?

Days?

Months?

Years?

Would he ever be able to call himself a cultivator again?

He had been moving forward with so much momentum since his rebirth, cutting through all obstacles. To meet such a brutal, abrupt stop — it made his blood run cold, his hands and feet turn icy!

If his brothers ever found out... if Li Wei ever found out, he would definitely kick him out of the sect and force him to get married off to some old man for benefits!

He couldn’t... he couldn’t! His plans for a better future! His revenge! All of it!

"Huff... huff..."

Li Yan heaved, his chest rising and falling violently as he clenched his fist so hard his nails dug into his palm. It suddenly became hard to breathe. There was air all around him, so why couldn’t he breathe? Why did his chest feel like it was being crushed by a giant boulder?!

His eyes reddened, his aura becoming chaotic — on the verge of Qi Deviation!

"Yanyan!"

Fu Hanzheng’s expression changed drastically. He immediately grabbed his hand!

"Yanyan, do you really have no trust in your Master?!"

Fu Hanzheng held his hand gently, channeling a wisp of calming spiritual Qi into him. Just at the mere mention of not being able to cultivate, his little disciple looked as though he was about to run mad and fall into deviation!

Was cultivation really that important to him? Fu Hanzheng thought, his heart aching. He could just spend the rest of his life being an apothecary under his protection, safe and carefree.

Tsk!

No. He could not think like this. He shouldn’t judge something that was so important to his disciple by his own standards.

"M-Master... I..."

"It is alright," Fu Hanzheng said quickly, his voice becoming much softer, coaxing. "I should have made myself clearer from the beginning. Yes, your cultivation will be paused, but only temporarily! Only temporarily, understand?"

Li Yan’s trembling pupils slowly focused on him.

"You will switch to tempering your physical body and practicing martial arts in the meantime. This Master will give you a sealing artifact that will temporarily seal your bloodline when you want to fight, so you should have no problem using your spiritual Qi then. It is just... you cannot cultivate to break through during normal times."

Li Yan stared at his Master blankly, his hand slowly leaving his chest. His breathing gradually steadied. He had begged his Master to send him on an experience mission, only to return battered and bruised, half-dead.

And now he couldn’t even use his cultivation. The realization came to him slowly, crashing over him. He had been too naive, too foolish. He was lucky to still be alive.

Seeing his little disciple finally calm down, though still looking lost and pitiful like an abandoned cub, Fu Hanzheng couldn’t help but laugh a little. His tense heart finally eased. Seeing his disciple all worked up was quite refreshing, actually. He had missed this lively look during the days Li Yan was away.

He flicked Li Yan’s forehead lightly, his tone teasing to dispel the heavy atmosphere.

"So tell me, my foolish little disciple, did you enjoy your first experience mission? Would you like this Master to send you again?"